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The massacre came so suddenly that the staff from Hundred Herbs Hall didn’t even have time to react from shock before most of them were dead!

Weichi Feihu was unarmed, but as a warrior almost at the Super First Rank, killing a few scholars barehanded was much simpler than an ordinary person crushing a bunch of tadpoles with their hands.

Many people didn’t even have a chance to beg for mercy, especially Gu Beiquan and his group, who directly collapsed on the ground with weak knees.

The smell of blood emanated from the storage room.

Facing the cold and distant approach of Weichi Feihu, those still alive were numb, daring not to move.

Forget about running away, they didn’t even have the courage to scream.

Just like rabbits in the grassland facing a fierce beast, they would only bury their heads in the grass, trembling uncontrollably, not daring to do anything, not even to run away....

"Sorry..." When he reached Gu Beiquan, Weichi Feihu’s expression was extremely cold, "I have no grudges against you, but I cannot leave this place, so... you must die!"

After hearing about the Imperial Court’s punitive expedition, he had thought it over all night.

He was unwilling to be an enemy of his own clan, but he was also unwilling to leave.

Consequently, the identity of Huang Feihu could not be revealed.

All those literati in Lyuzhou who knew his real identity had to die!

"General..." Gu Beiquan struggled to speak, wishing to say he would guarantee not to reveal a word.

But looking into the other’s eyes, he knew that Weichi Feihu would not hold back, nor would he listen to any of his guarantees....

Is this how I end?

A deep reluctance flashed through Gu Beiquan’s eyes, the chance to turn his fortunes was right before him....

Indeed... he could have soared to the skies using this opportunity!

The stuff Chen Qing had in Jiangnan had already been discussed by these literary people: hide as much as possible, especially the Mountain God series, which could create wealth for generations to come.

With that wealth and a bit of opportunity, it wouldn’t be impossible for one’s descendants to attend the Capital City Yin Yang Academy and raise a family of magicians.

Such a beautiful future, was it really going to end before it even began?

Watching that bear paw larger than his own face approaching, Gu Beiquan’s desperation reached its peak!

But just as that huge paw was about to grab his head and kill him in a gruesome fashion like Official Lyu, a pale hand blocked the way!

Weichi Feihu was startled and his body stiffened instantly!

He had been very cautious, confirming the whereabouts of all War God Army soldiers before coming, and even using the name of the War God General to send nearby Warrior Army troops early to help at the Daqing Mountain bonfire party.

This place... should have been unreachable by anyone.

To kill, or not?

Weichi Feihu hesitated for a second. He had hidden his bloodline, and now in all of Jiangnan, there were only five Fifth-Level Fighters. With his own and the Fei Hu bloodline combined, there were very few he couldn’t handle!

He felt he should have the ability to kill the interloper, but he could not bring himself to do it...

He felt no remorse killing these scheming local gentry, but when it came to his fellow warriors from the Warrior Army, he just couldn’t muster the will to kill!

Slowly turning his head, Weichi Feihu wore a bitter smile.

Let it be, then...

After all, if he surrendered, at worst he would be a prisoner of war, which compared to what he had gained this year, wasn’t too bad a deal.

Let it be...

Closing his eyes, Weichi Feihu eventually chose not to kill this unexpected arrival. Instead, he signaled that he would not attack by clasping his hands over his head and slowly turning back.

"Tsk... this kid looks quite a lot like Weichi Peng, doesn’t he?"

"Hmm..." A gentle voice also came, making Weichi Feihu, who had his eyes closed, feel oddly familiar.

Hadn’t he heard this voice somewhere before?

"But this kid is better, not as flamboyant and smelly of fox odor as Weichi Peng."

"Ahem..."

Fox odor?

Weichi Feihu was startled. How did the other person know about his eldest brother’s fox odor?

Finally, Weichi Feihu couldn’t resist opening his eyes, and what he saw was an unexpected figure.

Dressed in black, with a night dragon embroidered on the chest – he had seen this attire before, as the Lord of the City God of Yunzhou wore it.

And those with the right to wear it now... were only the City God Lords of the seven continents!

The Lyuzhou City God?

Yes, why hadn’t he thought of that?

The City God Lord managed a city’s underworld, so how could Weichi Feihu’s sudden spate of killings go unnoticed?

He really wasn’t cut out for this business of silencing others. After spending over a year here, he still hadn’t adapted his thinking...

Weichi Feihu looked up with a bitter smile, but when he saw the face of the other person, he was completely dumbstruck!

"Wei... Wei... Wei Gongcheng?"

He finally remembered where he had heard that voice.

Back when Weichi Peng returned to the estate, there was always a deputy from the Wei Family by his side, a capable assistant who could take care of household matters well.

It was rumored that even his own father greatly admired him and had exceptionally placed him by his side for training when he was only ten years old.

Later, that guy was said to have become disabled, and then he heard that he moved to Jiangnan....

So... he has taken refuge with Chen Qing?

"Long time no see... Young Master Fei Hu." Wei Gongcheng smiled warmly.

At this moment, his gaze towards Weichi Feihu was like that of an elder looking at a junior.

Weichi Feihu felt somewhat startled as he remembered the man before him was a person who understood propriety extremely well, very much like his own deputy Wei Gongzhan.

Even when highly favored, he maintained absolute respect and deference towards the Wei Family.

Utmost humility!

Yet now, that kind of feeling was completely gone. If it weren’t for the fact that the man’s exterior was identical to Wei Gongcheng, Weichi Feihu would never have believed they were the same person.

Because at this moment, Wei Gongcheng gave him the impression more of those Ducal elders.

Both in demeanor and in his attitude towards himself...

"Are you really Wei Gongcheng?" Weichi Feihu couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.

"It’s only been a year since I left the Weichi Clan. Have you forgotten me already, Young Master Fei Hu?"

"But you..." Weichi Feihu was at a loss for words for a moment.

The Yama Lord of Lyuzhou, with the most mysterious identity.

Other Magistrates and high-level officials of the Warrior Army from several provinces knew some inside stories, all aware of the Shen Family origins—except for that of Lyuzhou.

It was said that the Yama Lord of Lyuzhou was the first in Jiangnan, and the most respected one.

Because Lyuzhou’s Yama authority was the most complete, the other provinces were essentially copying their homework.

He had never imagined that it would be Wei Gongcheng!

"So... you have been taken in by Chen Qing..." Weichi Feihu suddenly relaxed.

Having a former acquaintance from the Weichi Clan made it somewhat easier for him, even though he had been captured.

"You make it sound as if you haven’t taken refuge with me yourself," said a leisurely voice from behind.

Weichi Feihu was taken aback, realizing that there was another person present.

Yes, who was that figure that could easily catch his fist and leave him immobile? Which one of the War God Generals was that?

But turning to look, he froze once more.

He hadn’t expected the one who could control him to be such a delicate-looking scholar. And this scholar seemed familiar—hadn’t he seen him during the campaign for the recovery of Yunzhou, the one who gave a speech on stage? It was indeed the person before him!

"Chen Qing?"

"Idiot!" Wei Gongcheng frowned and knocked on Weichi Feihu’s head. "Now that you have taken refuge with the War God Army, how can you address the sovereign by his name?"

"Uh..."

Weichi Feihu fell silent. He actually knew that behind the Divine Path system in Jiangnan, the one pulling the strings was the Magistrate of Lyuzhou, Chen Qing!

Turning his head, looking at the young man even younger than himself, Weichi Feihu felt a mix of complex emotions.

The young man opposite, however, looked at him with a smile, "What? Are you reluctant to be under my command?"

"I..." Weichi Feihu opened his mouth, and finally said, "I... am a man of the Weichi Clan."

"So you wish to return to the Weichi Clan?" Chen Qing said with a smile, "If so, you may leave today."

"You would let me go?" Weichi Feihu looked at him incredulously, "Here... I have gained so much power!"

Having stayed here for a year, he could clearly feel that the power of the Divine Path was now his own, something no one could take away from him—it had become a part of his body!

"That is what you deserve!" Chen Qing said with a smile, "Here, we have always been fair.

Exchange military merits for power. All the power you currently have has been earned by your own sword and spear.

Since you joined the army, you have fought hundreds of battles, large and small, killed more than a hundred and thirteen thousand seven hundred living corpses, and trained over eight thousand six hundred new warriors, among which the highest level—sixth-level fighters—number three, and fifth-level fighters more than a hundred.

The troops under your command are the strongest in Yunzhou! "

Upon hearing this, Weichi Feihu clenched his fists tight!

Not to mention his soldiers, the mention made him even more unwilling to part with them.

They were the stalwart companions he had personally trained and fought alongside.

Unlike the personal soldiers his family arranged for him, the troops he trained were, to put it bluntly, ten times, a hundred times more reliable in his eyes!

Looking at Weichi Feihu’s conflicted expression, Chen Qing smiled and said, "You’ve contributed greatly to Jiangnan, and the power you possess is rightfully yours. If you leave now, you owe me nothing!"

Weichi Feihu looked up, sensing that this man wasn’t playing cat-and-mouse; he truly believed what he was saying.

No debts owed...

Was there really such a model of cooperation?

"I..." Taking a deep breath, Weichi Feihu asked the question that weighed heavily on his heart, "If I don’t go back, would you allow me to stay?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" Chen Qing asked curiously, "Your potential is evident to all. Merely a year and you have become a seventh-level fighter. Even Deputy General Lan Xiang of Duke of Qin can’t match this. If you wish to stay, I would naturally welcome you!"

Within the Divine Path System, people with good potential were not only skilled in battle but also in training soldiers.

They could acquire the Blessing Force faster and allocate more power to the soldiers around them.

The more of such people there were, the stronger the War God Army would become.

Chen Qing would be a fool to not want this man to stay!

"Lan Xiang and the others... are they here too?" Weichi Feihu was stunned.

"Mhm... but I have an agreement with them. Should the day come when we face the Imperial Court, they may choose not to act." Chen Qing looked at Weichi Feihu, "If you stay, the same could apply to you. You may remain in Yunzhou, and you can choose not to fight."

Weichi Feihu looked at him dumbfounded, never having considered that someone could be so magnanimous.

But in the end, he shook his head, "No..."

"You don’t wish to stay?" There was a flash of regret in Chen Qing’s eyes.

"No... what I mean is..." Weichi Feihu knelt on one knee, "I am willing to fight!!"